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Potsdam Conference
Churchill, President Truman, and Stalin meet in occupied Germany to discuss how to administer Germany and the future of Eastern Europe. -
The Atomic Bombs- Hiroshima/Nagsaki
The first use of nuclear weapons by the US on the Japanese to end the war. It marked a new age of warfare where the two major powers (USA, later Russia) can destroy whole societies. -
The Long Telegram
George Kennan, a state department worker stationed in Moscow, sends a 8000 word telegram explaining Russia's reason for hostility. He explains Russia's insecurity and distrust of other nations and the Soviets only way to obtain security would be destruction of the rival power. Kennan expressed his opinion that Soviet expansion needed to be contained through a policy of "strong resistance -
Iron Curtain Speech
Winston Churchill gives a speech to the US warning them of the Soviet Unions hostility, expansionistic policies and explained the "iron curtain" that had fallen over Eastern Europe. -
The Truman Doctrine
Truman pledged to contain communist uprising and give military aid to Turkey and Greece. It is also the basis for US foreign policy during the Cold War, shifting from anti-fascism to containment of Soviet expansion. -
The Hollywood 10
10 American producers, directors, and screenwriters who appeared before the House Un-American Activities Committee refusing to answer questions regarding their possible communist affiliations in 1947. They were eventually brought before federal court in 1948 and sentenced to prison time between 6 months and 1 year and mostly blacklisted in Hollywood. -
The Marshall Plan
The US program was crafted as a 4 year plan that provided more than $15 billion in aid to rebuild Western Europe following the devastation of WWII. -
Berlin Blockade
In an attempt to get the Western Allies to withdraw from West Berlin, the Soviet Union blocked railway, road, and canal access to West Berlin causes the US to organize the Berlin Airlift. -
Berlin Airlift
In response to the Soviet's blockading of West Berlin supply lines, the US devised a plan to fly supplies into Berlin, bypassing Soviet blockades. US and British forces flew into Berlin over 250,000 times, dropping over 3000 tons of necessary supplies (fuel & food) daily until the Soviets lifted the blockades on May 12, 1949. -
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was created in 1949 by the United States, Canada, and several other Western European countries to provide security against the Soviet Union. -
First Soviet Bomb Test
After Stalin learned of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the nuclear program was pursued aggressively and they relied on intelligence gathered from the German nuclear weapon project and spying on the American Manhattan Project. -
Chinese Communist Revolution
Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong declared the creation of the People’s Republic of China. The creation ended the civil war between the Chinese Communist Party and the Nationalist party which started after WWII. -
Alger Hiss Case
Alger Hiss was a US government official accused in 1948 of spying for the Soviets in throughout the 30s. He was later convicted of perjury in 1950 following an investigation by the FBI. -
Korean War
The Korean War was fought between North and South Korea beginning in June 1950. Supported by China and the Soviet Union, North Korea invaded S.K. at the 38th parallel marking the start of the war. The United States supported S.K. and fought a very bloody 3 year war. -
Rosenberg Trial
Ethel and Julius were spies associated with the Soviet Union that worked their way into being involved with the Manhattan Project. They led an espionage ring within it to provide classified documents to the Soviet Union. Eventually, they were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit espionage after their near one month trial beginning on March 6, 1951 and ending on March 9th. On April 5, 1951, the Rosenberg's were sentenced to death. -
Korean Armistice
This agreement ended the Korean War in a cease fire, dividing North and South Korea. It was signed by the representatives of the United Nations Command, Korean Peoples Army, and the Chinese Peoples Volunteer Army. -
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
The Battle of Dien Bien Phu was a decisive engagement in the First Indochina War, it was a struggle between French and Viet Minh forces for control of a small mountain outpost on the Vietnamese border near Laos. -
Army-McCarthy Hearings
Series of hearings held by the United States investigating conflict between the U.S Army and U.S Senator Joseph McCarthy and alleged communist influence by McCarthy on the press. -
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact was a collective defense treaty that the Soviet Union established with seven other Central and Eastern European countries, created in reaction to the integration of West Germany into NATO in 1955. -
Hungarian Revolution
Spontaneous countrywide uprising against the Hungarian Peoples Republic. Thousands of protesters demanding more democratic system and freedom for Soviet oppression, but eventually the USSR crushed the Hungarian Revolutionaries resulting in the death of 2500 Hungarians -
U2 Incident
An American U-2 spy plane was shot down by the Soviet Air Defense Forces while performing aerial reconnaissance deep inside Soviet Territory. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The Bay of Pigs Invasion was a failed landing operation on the southwestern coast of Cuba by Cuban exiles who opposed Fidel Castro's Cuban Revolution and was secretly funded and directed by the United States during the height of the Cold War. -
The Berlin Wall
A guarded concrete barrier that physically and ideologically split Berlin between Soviet controlled East Berlin/East Germany and the democratic Western Berlin. Construction of the wall was commenced by the German Democratic Republic and physically symbolized the "Iron Curtain" between the two ideologies. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
A 13 day political and military standoff over the installation of Soviet missiles in Cuba, 90 miles from U.S shores. Kennedy also secretly agreed to remove missiles from Turkey. -
Assassination of JFK
Kennedy was in a car with his wife, when he was fatally shot by Lee Harvey Oswald, a former marine. JFK was serving his third year in office at the time. -
Tonkin Gulf Resolution
This resolution gave President Lyndon Johnson authorization to do any measures he believed were necessary to retaliate and promote the international peace and security in southeast Asia during the Cold War. -
Tet Offensive
The Tet Offensive was a coordinated series of North Vietnamese attacks on more than 100 cities and outposts in South Vietnam, the attempt was to instigate South Vietnamese rebellions and show the U.S to back down in the war. -
Riots at Democratic Convention
These protests were planned by anti-Vietnam protesters and on the day of the riot the police clash with them in full swing in front of the Democratic party's convention headquarters, television broadcasts live as anti-war protesters chant "The whole world is watching" -
Kent State
Students protested bombing of Cambodia, the students clashed with Ohio National Guardsmen and they shot and killed 4 students, the shootings became the focal point of a nation deeply divided by the Vietnam War. -
Ceasefire in Vietnam
The U.S. agreed to send home remaining military personnel from South Vietnam within 60 days. North Vietnam agreed to return all American prisoners of war. North Vietnam was allowed to leave 150,000 soldiers and to retain the territory it controlled in South Vietnam. -
Fall of Saigon
Viet Cong and North Communist forces captured South Vietnam capital of Saigon forcing a surrender and bringing an end to the Vietnam War -
Reagan Elected
President Reagan received the highest number of electoral votes received by a non-incumbent presidential candidate of over a million votes. Promised restoration of military forces -
SDI Announced
Reagan announced SDI on national television stating that he calls "upon the scientific community in this country, those who gave us nuclear weapons, to turn their great talents to the cause of mankind and world peace, to give us the means of rendering these nuclear weapons impotent and obsolete" -
'Tear Down This Wall' Speech
Reagan's harsh challenge to tear down the Berlin Wall gave shape to increasing international pressure on Moscow to make good on its promises of openness and reform, the wall came down two years later. -
The Fall of The Berlin Wall
East Berlin's spokesman for the communist party announced a change in his city's relationship with the West. Starting at midnight he stated the citizens of the GDR are allowed were free to cross the country's borders.